Augusta radio is dead.
Any remnant of variety, choice or artistry on the town's airwaves is now lost to the static, and it was the loss of the alternative rock station WAEG (92.3 FM) that finally destroyed it. I admit, I'm not really an alternative-rock fan, but it was a far better choice than the contrived and mediocre stations that remain. Now, a turn of the dial gives only country, hip-hop/rap, classic rock and National Public Radio.
I don't expect Augusta's radio stations to equal the diversity of, say, Atlanta, but I believe that, in a town as diverse and rapidly growing as ours, it is absolutely inexcusable to have such a colossal lack of competence as the local broadcasting companies demonstrate.
We are a rapidly changing, increasingly forward-thinking city, devoted to new industry and commerce. It is unacceptable that the few people who actually reach hundreds of thousands of people on a daily basis can't even manage to adapt and change to the city's evolving population. It is a social medium's intrinsic responsibility to operate as a representative voice of that society, to reflect its trends and opinions.
There are many who call Augusta a hick town, but I refuse to believe our citizens are dumb enough to actually enjoy such a lazy, apathetic approach to music. The invention of the iPod and satellite radio has changed the world's musical landscape, and if local radio stations have any desire to stay on the air, I urge them to expand people's musical horizons as opposed to depriving them of any musical variety. It's no wonder that pop music has such a shocking dearth of talent.
You reap what you sow, and ignorance only breeds ignorance. As for me, I got an iPod for Christmas. You can count me as officially tuned out.
Andrew Rauch, Evans
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The programing on the Augusta airwaves has changed steadily since I moved here in '73. It has never been narrowed, just changed. It's a business and what sells is what plays. When listing available music, you left out R&B and country. Maybe it's not Augusta that needs to expand its horizons, Mr Rauch. (Alternative to music is what the name implies)
Hey I like the new JAZZ station! I believe we are expanding more. Ever Since SIRIUS AND XM I really dont listen to local stations alot only early in the morning and late in the evenings. Every one needs to listen to J Zay 95.1 in the afternoon its pretty funny although ruff for some timid folks.
Zay is an A$$ clown. There is nothing good about his show. Shut up and play some music
why should anyone be sadden'd that ANY radio format's been chang'd or delet'd ? ? ?,,, doesn't radio respond to listener ( customer ) use/desire/market demand ? ? ?,,, always smile when hearing the phrase ' if public radio/tv didn't [ do it ], who would ? ',,, the answer's, clearly to me, no one - thankfully,,, unfortunately, my tax $$$ support drivel in this instance,,, perhaps no one cares to HAVE it done,,, should our next target be telling the newspapers what news to print ? ? ?,,, the solution's easy - vote w/your ears & turn the channel/station selector knob.
The ignorance involving supply and demand forces in the radio industry is staggering. To make $$$ (people like to do that, you know)...music radio plays its limited channel selection to the most popular tastes. McDonalds doesn't serve liver...Dominoes doesn't have anchovies...Waffle House doesn't serve "brains and eggs". I am surprised you audiophiles waste your time on music radio anyway. IPODs are FAR superior for music...radio should be used for news and information. THAT is the way of the future.
I use XM so I can avoid endless chatter and acutally hear music playing. I must say that of local Augusta Radio, Kicks 99 and WBBQ are the best at actually playing music more than talking!
Sirrus is so much better then anything out there.....Though it is sad that the local station and local DJ doesn't really exist anymore. Ever since Clear broadcasting came to town people have started tuning out. If radio wants to keep it's audience then they need to start being a local company. Listen to the "Last DJ" by Tom Petty and you will see what I am talking about.
News and information radio rules the roost, and the local ratings bear that out.
Thanks for the info. I had thought the way of radio's future was more loud and obnoxious sacks of hot gas. I'd rather listen to a leaf blower than some smug bigot who believes the world is entitled to his ignorant opinion. This might pass for news and information among the dementia demographic, but for the rest of us, good music is the best antidote for such verbal flatulence. I will certainly give 95.1 a try. And thanks for the tip.
LOL ! The "dementia demographic"? You mean the richest and best educated audience in radio? True, the older folks do have more money...which means they get to make most of the rules. The irrational attack shows dashiel has a great future in programming music radio for the future. Of course, he will be poor as dirt, and have an audience you can fit in the backseat of a VW, but hey...HE WILL ROCK ! In the meantime, the "dementia demographic" will continue making enough money to put kids through college, buy nice things, and hire the people who complain about music radio.
dashiel..Exactly why we have both. I prefer talk radio and/or easy listening to what is called 'music' these days.
I was ticked off as well to see 92.3 gone. What was their overhead? They had no on-air personalities to pay. I can't stand that juvenile crap from the boys from Jaxtown and I liked having an alternative when 95 decides to go classic rock from time to time.
Overhead is not a consideration when you have NO LISTENERS. A radio station is supposed to MAKE MONEY...not break even. In this day of music on demand, you BETTER bring some entertainment to the table, if you don't...well...you see what happens. But don't lose sight of the fact that these are ALL business decisions. You can't exist unless you turn a profit...and a nice one at that.
Try listening to 1480 am. You will feel much better about life.
For those who've not noticed in the past few years, radio is dead, has been since internet radio, Sirrius, XM, that sort of stuff took over. It just hasn't know to lay down yet. Welcome to the 21st century. Get yourself a computer and an iPod.
Ya'll wouldn't know good music if it bit you in the butt.
augusta never lets me down!!!
16 responded post about radio
0 responded to issue of education budget cuts! (wow)
guess kids can be dumb as long as they got an IPOD!!!
augusta never lets me down!!!
16 responded post about radio
0 responded to issue of education budget cuts! (wow)
guess kids can be dumb as long as they got an IPOD!!!
Yep, local radio is dead. For *music* fans out there, talk and news radio is not a solution. Some people actually enjoy listening to music, rather than mindless banter, regardless of who's spewing it.
Save yourself the aggravation and disappointment. Get satellite radio. *WAY* more variety than terrestrial radio, better sound quality, and (in the case of Sirius music channels) NO commercials.
If the rest of you are content to listen to talk/news, that's your perogative - more power to ya. But for the music lover, satellite radio is, these days, the only way to go.
I have not listened to a traditional radio station in a while. And you know why? iPod, CD's, Rhapsody. Yahoo Music, etc. Have not purchased satellite radio---yet. From what I understand, traditional radio stations are marketed based of the tastes of the general music listener. Mr. Rauch uses the words "apathetic approach" to describe the music tastes of the average Augustan. Well, he is almost correct. There are just too many choices out there--and the ones who tend to listen to traditional radio on a regular basis have limited tastes--by choice---or need to get the human connection (some would jokingly say animal-like connection) to Augusta. Question: Does the Emergency Broadcast System still perform tests on local radio stations? That is the ONLY reason I can justify listening to local radio stations again--in case of an emergency.
Good music is the organization of sound toward beauty.
Quote:
"augusta never lets me down!!! 16 responded post about radio 0 responded to issue of education budget cuts! (wow) guess kids can be dumb as long as they got an IPOD!!!"
Um, perhaps this was just a more interesting article? Maybe the majority of the people who posted to this thread don't have children, so the edu. budget article doesn't apply to them? If you don't have anything to say about the topic at hand, perhaps you should keep it to yourself, eh? BTW - nice job on the double-post, horrid grammar, and multiple exclamation points. Good work!
this is the so smart but so dumb attitude that's not only killing augusta's future but america as a whole!
nice job on being ignorant TomK!
how is radio more interesting than education?
i guess BTW is proper grammer????
EAGLE 105 is playing Crazy on you by Heart right now. Man that is a far out/killer song. Reminds me of when me and what's her name .....never mind.
Christian radio in Augusta is awesome. Many choices on AM and FM.
We are blessed beyond measure and have the most advanced variety of Christian music and teaching of any town I have seen.
For a change of pace you have WGAC which has plenty of variety and some live local DJs which sirus and ipods can't match.
For me radio has never been better and it's free. Fellow Christians; count your blessings
The folks who bought WAEG/Radio One are from Oklahoma who have NO experience in the Augusta market, and did not retain those who had made Radio One a success in the Augusta/CSRA area..
Guns & Roses: knock, knock, knocking on heven's door is playing now. If that aint some killer music Andrew Rauch in Evans can kiss my big ole butt.
Augusta radio has sucked for years. It never fails -- I turn on 95 and I hear "Machine Head" by Bush or some lame Pearl Jam gem that I've heard 5,438 times. We have been hearing these same songs on 95 (which used to be 96.3) for over 15 years now!!! 92.3 wasn't much better. Same songs, over and over, for 10 - 15 years. When I discovered Internet radio and purchased a Sirius satellite radio, a whole new world opened up to me! I have discovered so much great new music and so many awesome new bands that I would have never heard of had I not ventured outside the local dial.
Yes, terrestrial radio is dead. But it's been dead for years. Buy a Sirius. Listen to one of the thousands of available Internet radio stations. There is LOTS of good, new music out there. All types! But you will NEVER hear it on local radio. Satellite is the way of the future.
Of the four settings available on my car radio, two of them are set on Christian radio stations (88.3 and 91.7). The other two are flexible. I like classic rock, but when race season starts, one of the settings will be for whatever station runs the NASCAR races. I agree with purvisinvestments that there is still variety in local radio. You just have to look for it.
I wanted to mention that I used to hook my HIFI stereo up to the Jones intercable back in the day and pick up a lot of other channels. I used to pick up 96 ROCK out of Atlanta and such. That would be Comcast and Knology now a days.